With months of build and considerable hype, it would have been all too easy for this long-awaited Fatal 4-Way match to disappoint—but it delivered quite comprehensively.
A nearly 40-minute match allowed plenty of time for each man to be showcased, as well as bringing the much-teased rivalry between Sami Zayn and Adrian Neville to the fore. This is really the gold standard for a main event at a big show; it was well built over a long period of time, boasted a bevy of top-notch action in the ring and told a great story that could feasibly set up months of NXT programming.
Many thought that the bout would reset the NXT landscape ahead of a bunch of impending arrivals from new talent, but instead it provided a fitting end to the four-man feud and refocussed on the more personal issue between Zayn and Neville. Televised wrestling is all about the ongoing narrative, but it's rarely done as masterfully as it was in this match.
What's more is that the shift in focus wasn't done at the cost of Breeze and Kidd. Both were given plenty of time to shine in the bout, with Breeze perhaps delivering the best performance of his career thus far. Only one man could come out of this match with the title around his waist, but all four left the ring looking more of a star than when they each went in.
NXT has produced many terrific matches in its relatively short lifespan, and this might just be its crowning achievement thus far. It's an exciting time for the developmental promotion and a tantalizing glimpse into what could very well be the future of WWE.
WWE Match of the Week for September 13
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Oleh
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